Mark, you hit the nail on the head by calling Mike a “true theatre guy”! Instead of blood, he’s got an endless loop of film running it’s course thru his veins! It’s not his bones that you hear cracking as he runs by, it’s popcorn popping in there! When it’s quiet, Mike doesn’t go thru his mind’s memories (unless they’re theater-related!), no, his mind just plays back favorite scenes he’s memorized from decades of working with movies. If Mike gets caught in a traffic jam, he plans how he’d fix it with red-velvet ropes that would re-direct the “customers” thru the lobby and to the right cinema…uh, exit. No matter what fast food restaurant Mike goes to, he can’t help but look at the lines as “concession lines” and the people behind the counter as “candy girls”. Instead of saying he’s going to the bank, Mike says he’s “making a bank run”. As a “true theatre guy” yourself, you get what I mean, don’t you?

Growing up in Oglethorpe County i always thought it was a treat to go browse around Georgia Square Mall. Other than the big toy stores and arcade I remember the Georgia Square Cinemas. I always thought it was pretty neat how you had to go down the stair case into it. Saw Gremlins and Problem Child there…probably more just can’t remember them all. I also remember the Cinemas opening behind the mall. I remember seeing Little Shop Of Horrors there. And now where the Georgia Square Mall I,II,III,and IV was is the mall post of Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Thanks for all the memories with the pictures.

Yeah, Charles wasn’t really the reason.And it was also getting old driving down every weekend after the Midnight show on Saturday and to come back on Monday morning.Charles had to have Zack’s car Cause he didn’t have one.So it was me driving dog bone beat after working 10 am saturday morning to 2 am Sunday morning.Quite frankly the Good Lord was with us cause I fought Sleep while Zack snored.I remember the lighting hitting the tree after we left his grave. My brother -in -law is a Nurse in Athens and he said Linda asked about you and Barry. I think I told you .Or maybe it was Barry whom still wants Us to get together.I think if I could have gotten Craig to stay over the weekend some I might have stayed longer and fallen in love with another Box Office girl.So glad you didn’t.we had plenty of Babes at Regency that you could always steal a Kiss from expect Carol,she hated me.

Mike, I forgot that that was the way you left General Cinema! Man, don’t know what must’ve been going on in your head to just leave without telling anyone. I mean, knowing you, you must’ve really been in some turmoil over that…before and after. Oh, well, we all make mistakes, and life goes on. Not like you killed anyone, right? Now, if you had told him that you were leaving because of Pileggi, then I’m sure he would’ve understood that! LOL! I remember coming to visit y'all during football season. Coming over to see the theater on Friday night, staying and sleeping over in the freezing trailer (thanks to Pileggi not paying the power bill!),and then going to the Georgia game the next day. Didn’t Zacker have a waterbed…with no heat?!? You’re right, Mike, Zacker was a helluva manager and a helluva friend! He taught me so much and I will always remember him as a lifelong mentor, even though he passed away many years ago. If you other theater guys will allow me one more non-theater memory to share…a memory from Zack’s funeral. Craig was a “bigger than life” character. He died of a sudden massive heart attack, and was able to be buried on his farm in Watkinsville. During his burial, there was a huge and violent rainstorm, complete with thunder and lightening! During the service, a huge, loud crack of thunder rattled all of us..obiliterating an old, dead tree close to the burial tent! Later, I remarked about it to Craig’s wife Linda, and she just smiled. I asked her why she smiled and she said that Craig had told her that he always hated that tree and wanted it cut down, but she had always refused him to do it! Well, Craig finally got what he wanted, didn’t he?

“DICK TRACY” opens here and here is a new one,buy a “DICK TRACY” T-shirt from GCC and wear it to see “DICK TRACY” that is your ticket.Mr.Zacker,got some great Stills from the movie and were later to burn up when his house caught fire. I wish he would have let me hold them. Water damage.

I tell you I have worked with alot of great managers,but Craig Zacker was above all.Not that I ever would have,but had i been in a big jam, i know he would be there,and like alot of his Augusta guys that managed with him,we miss you Zack.

I never addressed why I left this Theatre. At the time in Augusta we were having massive shows at the arena that paid so much better. I worked VAN HALEN and would drive back in the early hours to work at Georgia Square. I would work another show a ballet,opera, anything a Stagehand does and head to Athens. I finally did a chicken shit thing and just packed up and left one night.Leaving Mr. Zacker and Charles alone. It bothered me for months and finally I called Zack to apologize and he was so gracious and just treated me like i gave the two weeks notice i should have months ago. I just couldn’t walk in that office and face him because of friendship.

Georgia Square Mall was the best place to go in Athens to see a movie.Granted we only had four screens and as mentioned above"THE BIG CHILL" seem to play forever. Being in the mall helped. never could understand why GCC was so hellbent on Five more screens in the parking lot. I think at that time GCC must have been in a race with AMC for most screens and they over screened in Athens and Augusta,Georgia.And most likely in other towns. “VACATION” also had a long run there as did “DICK TRACY”. “MR.MOM” with Terri Garr kept me in the cinemas more so than any kid flick ever did.

Having worked in the theatre business since the early 70’s i was able to see some of BURT REYNOLD’S best work. Yes, we played STROKER ACE and talk about a slow death,and you are in the heart of NASCAR.

STROKER ACE did horrible business and i bet others in the business saw the career of a great actor hit bottom.

I would never do it cause,well it would be wrong,but I think it has crossed anyone in a check out office if they are honest with themselves.Today, I don’t think the cops would follow us to the bank. In those days the county had a population of 30.000 people today its well over100.00 folks and i don’t see them doing it.

You are so right Mike, I know of a Manager who thought of doing that,not me,but I remember one weekend we were packed a 007 movie I believe with box office and concessions money we dropped about $27,000.00 one weekend. WE even ran out of deposit bags and had to break our rule of no more than $1000.00 deposits at a time.We would also get a change check of $1000.00 when we knew we would be very busy to have enough change, we would have to redeposit that $1000.00 by Monday also.

You know,I know it has happened before,In fact, think in ATLANTA,A manager witheld all the receipts for an entire WEEKEND at a mulitplex and Hit the road! I am pretty sure he was caught, But Often we would put thousands ,AND MEAN THOUSANDS of dollars in the bank over the weekend,and it acrossed my mind that someone could hold all the monies on a busy weekend and get lost.
With three screens and admission well over $4.00 a seat in the early 80’s,not to mention the midnight shows GCC demanded we play you are talking quite a bit of change. I ADMIT FREELY i would damage a drink cup when i did not have one handy ,or a popcorn cup for a friend. AND YES all of you in the business did it too!